‘We're good to go:' A.J. Dillon has no concerns after missing entire 2024 season
He’s fine.
That’s the message from A.J. Dillon, who joins the Eagles after missing the entire 2024 season following neck surgery.
“We’ve met with specialists from the East Coast, West Coast, everywhere,” Dillon said in a Zoom call with Eagles writers on Friday.
“We’re good to go. Got the green light. So I’m excited to get here, play ball and continue to be a part of what’s been some dominance in Philly.”
Dillon suffered a neck injury while playing for the Packers in a game against the Vikings on New Year’s Eve 2023 in Minneapoliss and then suffered another stinger during Packers joint practices this past August at the Broncos’ facility in Englewood, Colorado.
He hasn’t played since.
Dillon, who had a couple very good years for the Packers, said he feared the injury might be career ending when it happened.
“Originally, when you get that kind of news, you always want to be cautious, make sure you’re checking all your boxes, doing all the proper checks and balances,” he said. “But got all the green lights, so I’m feeling good. I don’t step on the football field thinking about, ‘Oh, what could,’ and, ‘What if.’ That’s how you end up getting hurt playing this game.
“So we got the green light. I feel good. I feel confident. I don’t feel any residual or anything like that. So one of those things that you just kind of work through, get back and here I am and I’m in Philly, I’m gonna make the most of it.”
His first three seasons, Dillon ran for 1,815 yards with a 4.3 average, caught 64 passes for 540 more yards and scored 16 touchdowns while backing up Aaron Jones and starting just five games.
He dropped to 3.4 yards per carry with 613 rushing yards and 28 catches in 2023 before getting hurt.
When you’re in the cap situation the Eagles are in, that’s the kind of guy you have to sign. Someone who’s a big question mark for one reason or another.
The Eagles signed Dillon a few hours after losing Kenny Gainwell to the Steelers. A healthy Dillon is no dropoff from Gainwell as Saquon Barkley’s backup.
But until Dillon shows he can still be the player he was from 2020 through 2022, he’s a huge unknown.
“Year off of football, but I was still there (at) the home games and still there for my teammates working out and all that stuff,” he said. “But it’s tough when the game that you love is taken away from you.
“I would just stay (I got through it by) staying close to my family and just attacking that recovery and getting better than I ever have. And on the bright side, you got a year off of getting hit (as) a running back. I feel nice and loose. I feel good and excited to play.”
Dillon, a 2nd-round pick in 2020 out of Boston College, said he was cleared medically before the season ended and got to work preparing for 2025 as soon as the Packers’ season ended with a wild-card-round loss to the Eagles at the Linc.
“As soon as the season finished up, we went down to Florida and (started) training,” he said. “I can do everything. Run, jump. Not the best kicker, but I can do all the rest of the stuff.”
Dillon knows that when you back up Saquon Barkley you’re not going to get a ton of opportunities. Gainwell had 11 games this year with three or fewer carries, and when he did play it was usually mop-up duty in a blowout win. It’s one of the reasons he was eager to leave as a free agent.
Other than the meaningless Giants game on the last day of the season, Gainwell had only 35 caries all year in one-possession situations.
Dillon said he’ll embrace whatever role he’s given and is thrilled to back up a player like Barkley, who ran for an NFL-record 2,504 yards last year in the regular season and postseason combined.
“As far as my role and how I can help, the way I approach the game, the way I play football, I’m just excited to go out there every time and make the most of every opportunity,” he said.
“What that looks like, how it is done, as long as I’m in the right place, doing the right things, being accountable, I’m good. I’m having a great time. So I’ll let my game, I’ll let all that stuff speak for itself. But I’m excited to get started.”
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‘We're good to go:' A.J. Dillon has no concerns after missing entire 2024 season
